Raised Bill No. 232 - Agricultural Workers Collective Bargaining

• Establishes an Agricultural Employment Relations Board within the Labor Department consisting of seven members (three public members with agricultural knowledge, two representing organized labor, and two representing the agricultural industry) serving six-year terms to handle labor disputes involving agricultural workers.

• Extends collective bargaining rights to agricultural workers employed for at least six months during a twelve-month period by employers with 50 or more employees (excluding family members), previously excluded from state labor protections.

• Prohibits strikes, work stoppages, slowdowns, and lockouts for both agricultural employers and employees, but allows non-picketing publicity about labor disputes.

• Requires the Agricultural Employment Relations Board to resolve bargaining impasses through binding arbitration within 30 days of submission, with impasses submitted no later than 14 days after parties reach an impasse.

• Takes effect October 1, 2020, and applies provisions of Chapter 561 of Connecticut General Statutes to agricultural labor disputes between employers and their employees or employee representatives.